Film Critic Susanne Burg gives her perspective on the upcoming Berlinale Festival and the role of the #MeToo movement

The Berlinale Film Festival will open this Thursday amid rising international criticism concerning the treatment of women within the film industry. Head Film Critic at Deutschlandfunk Kultur, Susanne Burg, discusses her view on the mood surrounding Berlinale 2018 and the reaction to the #MeToo movement.

Burg notes that the recent allegations against TV director Dieter Wedel have brought the debate to Germany in full force. This year the festival published gender statistics for all films included within the festival lineup. It will also offer on-site assistance for people who have experienced sexual abuse within the film industry.

Burg discusses some of her festival favorites, including Wes Anderson’s “Isle of Dogs,” a stop-motion film about abandoned dogs in dystopian Japan. While “very excited about the four German films in competition,” she concedes that it is hard to determine a clear winner among the group.